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Ertapenem

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Description

Ertapenem is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of infections caused by bacteria such as infections in the stomach, pelvis, urinary tract, skin, and lungs. It should be used with caution in patients with central nervous system disorders.
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Side effectsConcernsUsage

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Side effects

Major & minor side effects for Ertapenem

Bleeding

Inflammation

Burning

Skin Rash

Swelling

Tingling

Numbness

Soreness

Ulceration

Uses of Ertapenem

What is it prescribed for?

Skin and Structure Infection

Ertapenem is used in the treatment of skin and structure infections such as cellulitis, wound infections, etc.

Community acquired pneumonia

Ertapenem is used in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia which is the most common type of lung infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, etc.

Complicated urinary tract infections

Ertapenem is used in the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Acute pelvic infections

Ertapenem is used in the treatment of pelvic infections caused by Bacteroides fragilis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli, Peptostreptococcus species, etc.

Complicated Intraabdominal Infection

Ertapenem is used in the treatment of complicated intraabdominal infections caused by E. coli, Peptostreptococcus species, Clostridium clostridioforme, Eubacterium lentum, etc.
Concerns

Commonly asked questions

  • Onset of action

    The peak effect of this medicine can be observed within 2-3 hours of administration of the dose.

  • Duration of effect

    The amount of time for which this medicine remains active in the body is not clinically established.

  • Safe with alcohol?

    Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.

  • Is it habit forming?

    No habit forming tendency has been reported.

  • Usage in pregnancy?

    This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine.

  • Usage while breast-feeding?

    This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine. Monitoring of the infants for any undesired effects like diarrhea or thrush is necessary if this medicine is used in breastfeeding women.

Allergy

This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known allergy to ertapenem or any other medicine belonging to the beta-lactam antibiotics class. Lidocaine HCl is used as a diluent in formulations of Ertapenem. Hence, this medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known allergy to lidocaine or any other local anesthetics of the amide type.

Warnings for special population

Pregnancy

This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine.

Breast-feeding

This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine. Monitoring of the infants for any undesired effects like diarrhea or thrush is necessary if this medicine is used in breastfeeding women.

General warnings

Drug resistance

Usage of Ertapenem without sufficient proof or suspicion of a bacterial infection should be avoided. Irrational dosing might fail in providing the benefits and even cause toxicity. It may also increase the risk of development of bacteria that are drug resistant.

Renal impairment

This medicine should be used with caution in patients with a known history of renal impairment due to the increased risk of severe side effects. Appropriate dose adjustments should be considered based on the clinical condition.

Diarrhea

Avoid using if you experience severe diarrhea after receiving Ertapenem. This is because antibiotic therapy will cause an imbalance in the microbial flora of the large intestine, decreasing the gut friendly bacteria and promoting the growth of a bacteria called Clostridium Difficile, resulting in diarrhea.

Missed Dose

Since this medicine is usually administered by a qualified healthcare professional in the clinical or hospital setting, the likelihood of missing a dose is very low.

Overdose

Since this medicine is administered by a qualified healthcare professional in the clinical or hospital setting, the likelihood of an overdose is very low. However, emergency medical treatment will be initiated by the doctor if an overdose is suspected.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.

Interaction with Alcohol

Description

Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.

Instructions

Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.

Interaction with Medicine

Tramadol

Ethinyl Estradiol

Valproic Acid

Live cholera vaccine

Fluphenazine

Disease interactions

CNS disorders

Ertapenem should be used with extreme caution in patients with a history of central nervous system (CNS) disorders due to the increased risk of serious side effects. These side effects may include seizures, encephalopathy, depression, hallucination, confusion, and agitation. Close monitoring of such patients for any undesirable signs or symptoms is recommended. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required based on the clinical condition.

Colitis

This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients having a history of gastrointestinal diseases, particularly colitis, due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient's condition. Any symptoms such as severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, and blood in stools should be reported to the doctor immediately. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required based on the clinical condition.

Renal Dysfunction

This medicine should be used with caution in patients with a history of kidney diseases due to the increased risk of severe side effects. Close monitoring of kidney function is necessary while receiving this medicine. Appropriate dose adjustments may be necessary based on the clinical condition.

Food interactions

Information not available.

Lab interactions

Information not available.
This is not an exhaustive list of possible drug interactions. You should consult your doctor about all the possible interactions of the drugs you’re taking.
This medicine is usually administered by a qualified healthcare professional in the clinical or hospital setting. Carefully follow all the instructions given by your doctor. Consult the doctor if you experience any undesirable side effects. Do not stop the use of this medicine without consulting your doctor.

Miscelleneous

Usage does not depend on food timings

To be taken as instructed by doctor

Does not cause sleepiness

How it works

Ertapenem works by interfering with the bacterial cell wall synthesis.

Legal Status

Approved

Approved

Approved

Unknown

Classification

Category

Carbapenems

Schedule

Schedule H

DailyMed - ertapenem sodium injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 24 August 2017]. Available from:

https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=33f3b99b-fa82-42e0-26bf-f49891ae3d22

Ertapenem - DrugBank [Internet]. Drugbank.ca. 2017 [cited 24 August 2017]. Available from:

https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00303

Ertapenem Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2017 [cited 24 August 2017]. Available from:

https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a614001.html

Prescribing medicines in pregnancy database [Internet]. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 2017 [cited 24 August 2017]. Available from:

http://www.tga.gov.au/prescribing-medicines-pregnancy-database

[Internet]. Toxnet.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 24 August 2017]. Available from:

https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~WKXniH:1
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Information on this page was last updated on 8 Feb 2018

Disclaimer

We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.